Senior Geospatial Analyst

Salary range: $55,000-$65,000 dependent on skills and experience level

Chesapeake Conservancy-Annapolis, MD

Chesapeake Conservancy, a nonprofit organization based in Annapolis, Maryland is seeking a Senior Geospatial Analyst to support conservation and restoration projects. We are committed to building a talented team of diverse backgrounds and an equitable and inclusive workplace.

ABOUT THE CONSERVANCY

Chesapeake Conservancy is a non-profit organization based in Annapolis, Maryland, dedicated to ensuring a healthier Chesapeake Bay watershed where fish and wildlife thrive, with healthy waters and abundant forests, wetlands, shorelines, and open spaces. With the human population in the Chesapeake watershed approaching 18 million and growing and tens of thousands of acres of open space vanishing each year, the Conservancy works to connect people with the Chesapeake’s wildlife and history; conserve landscapes and rivers; and restore the region’s natural resources. The Conservancy works in close partnership with the National Park Service Chesapeake Bay Office, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as other federal, state and local agencies, private foundations, and corporations to advance conservation.

Within the Conservancy, the Conservation Innovation Center (CIC) is redefining information systems for conservation, both within the Bay watershed and beyond. In the past few years, the CIC has become a globally recognized leader in high resolution land cover and land use data, geospatial analysis, data science, and web application development to advance precision conservation and restoration. We have partnered with governmental groups like the US EPA Chesapeake Bay Program and industry-leading organizations like Microsoft and Esri to deliver more precise data for achieving conservation outcomes. Our work is helping to define the next generation of environmental information, informing policy and community decisions.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The senior geospatial analyst position will work within the CIC and be responsible for leading key components of a wide variety of geospatial projects. These projects support restoration and conservation progress throughout the Chesapeake watershed and beyond, engaging partners who work directly with landowners, as well as partners at state and regional scales making policy and funding decisions. Project tasks include, but are not limited to, applications of remote sensing and geospatial analyses to identify previous implementation of or opportunities for implementation of agricultural best management practices (BMPs), development of software solutions for tracking and validating BMP implementation, and supporting modeling for precision nutrient and sediment reduction calculations. These tasks will require producing compelling communication products, such as maps, charts/graphs, technical reports, and web-based mapping applications. The senior analyst will use software and tools including ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Enterprise, ArcGIS Online, and Python programming. The candidate will ultimately deliver custom geospatial solutions to analyze patterns in environmental data, streamline workflows, and support decision making of end users in the environmental conservation/restoration field.

Essential functions include:

  1. Communicate and collaborate with CIC team members to perform designated workflows, prioritize assigned tasks within the scope of assigned project components, and adhere to project deadlines.
  2. Utilize high-resolution data to perform analyses that support watershed planning across the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including identifying opportunities for future BMP implementation.
  3. Performing literature reviews to identify and incorporate innovative methodologies and encourage best science and technological practices in workflows.
  4. Produce, test, and utilize innovative and replicable methods for addressing environmental challenges, with accompanying documentation for project analyses. Must be willing to train other staff on technical methodologies and present on findings.
  5. Automate large, complex, and iterative geospatial processes. The CIC maintains a high volume of ongoing projects with limited staff, and to do so, we emphasize efficiency and automation. The senior analyst must demonstrate competency with strategies such as constructing iterative processes in ModelBuilder, Python scripting, and running batch processes.
  6. Present results of project analyses. Candidates should be comfortable articulating highly technical projects to partners and the public orally and in writing. This also includes data visualization with impactful map-making or construction of web maps and applications.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS

  • Organized, dependable, and results-oriented
  • Ability to work independently on tasks within a larger, collaborative team environment
  • Passion for the mission of the Chesapeake Conservancy – public access, conservation, education and stewardship of the Bay and its resources
  • Strong GIS and remote sensing experience including large data management, vector and raster analysis.
  • Familiarity with agricultural management practices (BMPs), such as barnyard runoff control, conservation tillage, and forested buffers
  • Demonstrated experience with geospatial workflow automation using Python
  • Adaptability and independence in problem solving/troubleshooting
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills, both oral and written
  • Proven ability to deliver on projects and to relate complicated technical material to others
  • Ability to work among a diverse group of GIS staff and represent the highest quality standards

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

  • A Master’s degree or a Bachelor’s degree with 2+ years of work experience is preferred, ideally with a concentration in Environmental Studies, Computer Science, Remote Sensing, or other relevant field.
  • Commensurate work experience or professional certifications can be substituted for the academic degrees, where applicable.
  • Authorization to work in the United States is required.

Required skills:

  • Esri ArcGIS Pro 2.x and/or ArcGIS Desktop 10.x
  • Workflow automation: Python or ModelBuilder

Preferred skills:

  • Familiarity with agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs), especially mapping
  • Experience with soil, water, and nutrient models, such as SPARROW, SWAT, and CAST
  • Experience with open source geospatial applications and/or python packages for workflow automation
  • Understanding of remote sensing products, especially LIDAR and multi-spectral imagery bands (e.g. Landsat, Sentinel, WV-3)
  • Familiarity with the Chesapeake Bay Program and Watershed Implementation Plans
  • Esri ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Enterprise, including WebApp Builder
  • RESTful web services (web-based data endpoints), ArcGIS API for JavaScript
  • Experience using cloud-based services and technologies (Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, Google Earth Engine) and Git version control systems, are a plus

LOCATION

Annapolis, Maryland, with flexible and hybrid remote working options.

TO APPLY

Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to explain how your skills and background fit this position. A portfolio of previous work is recommended but not required. Complete applications should be submitted before January 7, 2022 for full consideration.

The Conservancy offers a competitive employee benefits package that includes health, dental, and vision insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, paid vacation and family/sick leave, and participation in a retirement savings plan. Opportunities for advancement and professional development are available.

WE ARE COMMITTED TO BEING A DIVERSE & WELCOMING WORKPLACE:

Chesapeake Conservancy is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, color, age, sex, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, refusal to submit to a genetic test or to make available genetic test results, or any other legally protected characteristic.

Chesapeake Conservancy understands that protecting and restoring the natural and cultural resources of the Chesapeake Bay watershed requires intentional commitment to inclusive practices and narratives within the conservation movement. Through our work we celebrate and elevate the people, places, and cultures of the region, especially by engaging underrepresented communities. Committing to the values of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice is critical to achieve our vision of a Chesapeake that is healthy, accessible to everyone, and a place where people and wildlife thrive. To that end, we commit ourselves to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice both in our programmatic priorities and our internal organizational development through inclusive recruitment of staff and board members, and fostering a diverse and inclusive culture.